Vocational training should be valued as highly as university education, Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has said.
Ms Davidson has set out plans to fund more apprenticeships, reverse college cuts and create ten new skills academies across Scotland.
The proposals could help make Scotland the most highly-skilled country in Europe, she said.
The Tory leader was speaking on a visit to Ritchies HGV training centre in Glasgow, where people can learn to drive lorries and operate construction vehicles.
She said: “We are rightly proud of our universities but it is time we valued vocational education just as highly.
“Under our plan, we will reverse the cuts to further education colleges imposed by the SNP government. That’s £60 million of extra investment every year.
“We want to add a further 10,000 apprenticeships – above those already pledged by the Scottish Government – to ensure everyone can get the experience of a job.
“We would create at least 10 new skills academies, led by industry, to ensure young people can get skills in areas like coding and electrical engineering.”
The party has also welcomed comments from First Minister and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon suggesting she could be open to looking at a system similar to Teach First, which trains people to become teachers in low-income communities in England and Wales.
Ms Sturgeon told the Scottish Daily Mail: “Whether you use the Teach First brand or use their principles to do that is a secondary debate. But how do we get the best graduates into our schools -I’m open to anything that does that.”
Ms Davidson has urged the SNP to introduce the scheme in Scotland as part of efforts to tackle the attainment gap in schools.
Scottish Conservative young people spokeswoman Liz Smith said: “Teach First will address a real issue regarding teacher recruitment in Scotland and it is good to see the SNP have listened and taken our advice.”
The Tories have also promised to reverse cuts to music tuition for young people.